Media Release
October 5, 2011
Coady Institute and Canadian Women’s Foundation Announce Partnership
ANTIGONISH, NS – The Canadian Women’s Foundation, the only national foundation in Canada dedicated to empowering women and girls, has selected the Coady International Institute at StFX University to create and run a new women’s leadership development program.
The pilot program will train up to 25 diverse leaders each year and will include leadership education that is grounded in a commitment to economic and social justice through organizational and community change.
Dr. Linda Jones, director of the International Centre for Women’s Leadership at the Coady Institute says she is thrilled to partner with an organization that sees leadership training as a collaborative process for positive change.
“We agree that the future of Canada needs to be shaped by women leaders,” she said. “As Kofi Annan, the former secretary-general of the United Nations has said: ‘There is no development strategy more beneficial to society as a whole – women and men alike – than the one which involves women as central players.’”
"After an intensive evaluation of leadership programs across the country, the Canadian Women's Foundation is excited to partner with the Coady International Institute," says Beverley Wybrow, CEO of the Canadian Women's Foundation. "We want to build the leadership capacity of emerging women leaders, so they can become the next generation of organizational and economic development sector leaders. By doing this, we are investing in transformational change for women and for entire communities."
The Coady International Institute at StFX University has been building leadership capacity around the world since 1959, with an increasing focus on the needs of women as they take on greater roles and responsibilities in public, private and civil society organizations.
Through its International Centre for Women’s Leadership, the Institute is creating new programming to support women leaders from Canada and around the globe. The centre will offer its inaugural Global Change Leaders certificate program for 15 international participants in early 2012. Earlier this year, its first cohort of 12 young women graduated from the Indigenous Women in Community Leadership program, which combines classroom learning, community placements and mentorship.
Dr. John Gaventa, director of the Coady Institute, says the partnership with the Canadian Women’s Foundation will meet a clearly defined need.
“We’re committed to working closely with the Canadian Women’s Foundation to inspire and equip women to take on significant leadership roles at all levels of society,” he said. “We have a deeply-held conviction to empower women who can lead strong organizations and build just and inclusive societies.”
The leadership development program will include studies on the Coady campus at StFX, distance learning, individual learning plans and program activities, networking with national and international leaders, annual symposia, and peer-to-peer mentoring and coaching.
About the Canadian Women’s Foundation – The Canadian Women’s Foundation is Canada’s only national public foundation dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls. The Foundation researches, shares and funds the best approaches to ending violence against women, moving low-income women out of poverty, and empowering girls with confidence, courage and critical thinking skills. Ranked as one of the ten largest women’s foundations in the world, the Canadian Women’s Foundation has supported more than 1,100 programs across Canada since 1991. Website: http://www.canadianwomen.org/
About Coady International Institute – Coady International Institute represents StFX University’s commitment to social justice in action. Founded in 1959, and named for one of Canada’s great heroes – Rev. Dr. Moses Coady – the Institute supports development professionals from around the world. Today more than 5,500 graduates and partners are working with millions of people in 130 countries to build a fair, prosperous and secure world, one community at a time. Website: http://www.coady.stfx.ca
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Media contacts:
Coady International Institute:
Richard Perry
Tel: (902) 867-4933
Cell: (902) 870-9662
Email: rperry@stfx.ca
Canadian Women’s Foundation
Sarah Barker
Tel: (416) 365-1444 ext.242
Email: sbarker@canadianwomen.org